Best advice to set exposure in Manual mode while using flash?

Mu-43 Top Veteran

As an intermediate level user, I've been fairly successful with using manual mode to get proper exposure without flash, but I'm having trouble trying to figure out how to calibrate shutter speeds when I'm using flash. How do I know how fast I can use the shutter speed at any given f-stop when using flash, since the exposure meter doesn't reflect actual exposure when using flash?

Mu-43 Top Veteran

The short answer is that you tell the flash the settings you want to shoot at, and it meters and adjusts the output automatically to match. With a manual flash like my Vivitar 285HV, the settings are fully manual. I can set the ASA (i.e. ISO), f-stop, and power output I desire out of the flash to compensate for the image as metered by my camera. I still use the settings I want on my camera in terms of shutter speed (up to the flash sync), aperture, etc. - all the parameters that are dictated by the composition - but I allow the flash to add the extra light I need to expose the scene properly given my composition parameters.

With modern TTL flash units, and especially with ones designed for Panasonic/Olympus cameras that have advanced features like FP-TTL and HSS, the camera the flash what to do to expose the scene properly.

If you want to get into flash photography more, I'd suggest starting with Strobist. It's a fantastic resource for learning how to work with flash, and you can grow from there. Lighting is a whole 'nother aspect of photography once you master the basics of composition.

Mu-43 Veteran

As an intermediate level user, I've been fairly successful with using manual mode to get proper exposure without flash, but I'm having trouble trying to figure out how to calibrate shutter speeds when I'm using flash. How do I know how fast I can use the shutter speed at any given f-stop when using flash, since the exposure meter doesn't reflect actual exposure when using flash?

If it does, the flash will have a few "Auto f/stop" choices to pick from. Like f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11... it will at least have 2 anyway...

Set the flash on an "auto f/stop" and then use that f/stop on the lens. The fastest shutter Shutter speed will be what the manual says you can use... 1/160 is common. Make sure to look on the flash for the near/far distance at the f/stop your using.

Side Note: Slower Shutter Speeds will effect how bright the background can get, the subject exposure won't change. This is called "dragging the shutter", Outdoors, this will allow a normal background that is not too dark.

This is the easiest way.....

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For a full manual flash with no guide, you need to know the power output..(Guide Number) example: GN 100 at 10 feet.....

Focus on your subject

use this formula.... GN-100/ #feet = f/stop... the pink 100 an example, use the guide number from your flash

Mu-43 Top Veteran

When using a flash as your main light source, the shutter speed only controls how much the ambient light (available light,) is allowed to contribute to the exposure. It has nothing to do with the exposure of your main subject.

Try this -- in a normally lit room, set your camera to a set aperture, say f/5.6. Set your shutter speed to 1/50 and take a picture. Now set your shutter to 1/200 but leave the aperture at 5.6 and take another picture. When you look at both you will see the the main subject is lit the same but in the 1/50 picture you can see what's going on in the background of the shot. However in the 1/200 picture, everything other than the subject will be almost black.

The short answer is that you tell the flash the settings you want to shoot at, and it meters and adjusts the output automatically to match. With a manual flash like my Vivitar 285HV, the settings are fully manual. I can set the ASA (i.e. ISO), f-stop, and power output I desire out of the flash to compensate for the image as metered by my camera. I still use the settings I want on my camera in terms of shutter speed (up to the flash sync), aperture, etc. - all the parameters that are dictated by the composition - but I allow the flash to add the extra light I need to expose the scene properly given my composition parameters.

With modern TTL flash units, and especially with ones designed for Panasonic/Olympus cameras that have advanced features like FP-TTL and HSS, the camera the flash what to do to expose the scene properly.

If you want to get into flash photography more, I'd suggest starting with Strobist. It's a fantastic resource for learning how to work with flash, and you can grow from there. Lighting is a whole 'nother aspect of photography once you master the basics of composition.